Barbecue Street - Kennesaw

Way back when, this restaurant was Bell's Barbecue. It was a landmark in Kennesaw because of the fire truck that sat on the property. It was equally famous for it's food.

For the first few years after moving to the Wade Green Rd area, my family visited Bell's frequently. It was the restaurant of choice on a weekend night when we just didn't want to eat at home. Inexpensive and family friendly (no smoking or beer), we made the place our alternate dinner table.

Then, suddenly, and with little warning, the Bell's decided to sell. We were heartsick with fear that our family dinner refuge would no longer be the same. Malcolm, the new owner of Bell's Barbecue Street (the name Bell's was dropped as soon as people got used to Barbecue Street), put us at ease, somewhat, when he visited our table one night.

My wife expressed, in no uncertain terms, her dislike of change. Malcolm assured her that there would be very little change, and gave her an old Bell's menu as a keepsake.

There have been a few changes, here and there, but nearly a decade later, we can't see very many. One of the few changes we did soon see was the addition of catfish to the menu. As far as my wife was concerned, that was a very positive move.

The food at Barbecue Street has been consistent over the years. A family favorite is the Pork Stuffed Tater - a baked potato spread wide open and stuffed with barbecued pork. Get a side of slaw and all you have to do is pick your favorite from four or five sauces and you have a full meal.
My favorite sauce is the Georgia Red Onion. It's sweet and tasty, and I like to put a few drops of the Hot BBQ sauce in with it to add a kick. Here's a tip: if you like the taste of the meat as is, ask for the sauce that they baste it with and the server will bring you a cup of it. That's my wife's favorite sauce.

We've seen a lot of servers come and go, but have yet to have a bad experience with one. They all seem happy and helpful, which tends to lead to good patron experiences.

Give Barbecue Street a try. The only drawback is getting in and out of the parking lot (it sits at the intersection of Cherokee St and Jiles Rd in Kennesaw), but that doesn't seem to stop folks. Just look at the lot at about 6pm on a Saturday.

Doug's Place

I grew up in Maine. The way I feel about Red Lobster after having so many good Maine seafood options must be the way true Southerners feel about Cracker Barrel when a restaurant like Doug's Place is available to them.

The building is an old side of the road restaurant, a throwback to the days of no interstates. It's the kind of place your dad used to take you on Saturday morning, and you would just happen to meet up with two thirds of his friends.

The waitresses are attentive, pretty and quick. My waitress was Hope. She never let my tea glass go empty, and she, as well as the other waitresses, was constantly working the room, conversing with patrons and watching for service opportunities. Every waitress seemed to know everyone in there.

The manager, Melissa Ferguson, was a friendly woman who acted like a mom. She spoke of how busy it would get in there, but times are more lean now(as we all know).

My food was very tasty. I ordered pork chops and gravy with mashed potatoes and cole slaw. I had a piece of corn bread, iced tea to drink and apple cobbler for dessert. The regulars were fun to listen to. They ordered menu items by number and letter code. Maybe I'll get that good one day.

The menu changes daily, and typically offers a half dozen meat choices, more than a dozen vegetables, desserts and grill items. There are daily supper specials as well: Strip Steak on Wednesday, Fried Shrimp on Thursday, and 1/2 Rack Ribs on Friday.

You can hear the day's menu by calling 770-382-8069. Where else can you get that ?

The business hours for Doug's Place are:

Breakfast
Mon - Fri 6am-11am
Sat 7am-2pm

Lunch
Mon - Sat 10:30am-2pm
Sun 11am-3pm

Supper
Mon - Fri 4:30-9pm

Visit Doug's Place at 696 Highway 293, Emerson, GA 30137.

J Christopher's

I had a bad feeling from the start. I stepped inside the restaurant, which was not large but open with a high ceiling. The wall paint was a very decisively Floridian coral and blue, but the wall art was an equally indecisive eclectic mix of pop art, Cuban and Americana.

I waited at the front for the host or hostess, and soon a server came and seated me at a booth along the wall. I ordered the Santa Fe Chicken Grille with roasted potatoes. The Santa Fe is on the menu as a "blackened chicken chicken sandwich all soothed with ranch dressing and avocado". My sandwich tasted good, but was not blackened by any means. The highlight of the meal was the serving of roasted potatoes.

The service was adequate, and the food tasted good (even though I felt duped by the term blackened). At $11 plus tip, a little much for not getting what I expected.

Prezzano's Revisited

I stopped by Prezzano's on the way home today, and met Dallas Prezzano. Dallas and I talked for a few minutes, and it was clear to me that we share the same vision for our area. That is that we would like others to see that a fairly diverse set of restaurant choices exist right here in our town.

I explained to Dallas that it was my goal to make people aware of what experiences of value may be within their reach. Later tonight, he shared with me some exciting plans he has for our town, but I won't spill the beans. I'll let him, when he is ready.

My family and I came back for dinner, and I will say that everyone was pleased. I write experience reviews. I am not a food critic, but from the appetizers to the entrees, everything was wonderful.

For appetizers, we had Garlic Bread and Hot Antipasto (Stuffed Mushrooms, Fried Ravioli and Eggplant Rollatini). I am not a big fan of stuffed mushrooms, but my son enjoyed them. The Fried Ravioli was a hit at the table, but the surprise was the Eggplant Rollatini. I liked it, but the true test was my daughter. Beth is known to be a little picky, but she really thought the Eggplant was good.

We were all pleased with our entrees. Ward got the Spaghetti Bolognese, Beth the Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken, Phyllis the Lasagna and I got Chicken Parmigiana. The only surprise was the Bolognese. It seems I was the only one at the table who knew the sauce would be pinkish due to the cream mixed in. Ward didn't seem to mind. He ate a large portion and brought the remainder home. We were too full for dessert.

Our service was quick and everyone was attentive, but as I looked around the dining room, I saw that we were treated no differently than anyone else. No table seemed to be anxious. You know the look when someone wants a server but can't seem to catch one with a net. None of that going on.There was good eye contact from the moment we came in to the moment we left.

A lot of restaurants have good food. Some have great service. Combine those elements with a mix of positive attitudes and you get a good family restaurant. Prezzano's hit the mark. Good job, Dallas, and good job to your team.

Cuppy's For Warmth

Today I decided to take a drive over to Cuppy's to shoot some photos for my Urbanspoon review. It was a nice day to get out, and it felt good to feel the sun.

To my pleasant surprise, Abby and Alanna (pictured here, left to right) were both working. As soon as I got in the door, I was greeted as though I were a long lost brother come home. Both stepped around the corner and hugged my neck.

I sat down and started getting my camera and computer out. Abby asked "Would you like something to eat?". Alanna spoke next "He'll call to me when he's ready", meaning no rush, settle in and relax. To me, this place has become a bit of a refuge. A place to sit down and lean back, with the only stress being what time I had to leave if I had an appointment elsewhere.

I'm not alone. Shannon, a friend of mine came in, and I introduced her to Alanna, who proceeded to tell Shannon that I was their favorite. Then she said "We have a lot of favorites" and named every person but one in the place. I didn't feel slighted. I felt smart. I had chosen to become a regular at a place where they care about everyone.

The food and coffee is wonderful here, from cookies to sandwiches and cokes to lattes, but when I say I'm going out for some sunshine, the picture I see is the one I've posted here today.

Fusco's via Roma

In the midst of historic Main Street Acworth sits Fusco's via Roma, an authentic Italian restaurant that adds a decidedly romantic curve to this traditional southern railroad town. While in the dining room, the sound of the train going by does not conjure up thoughts of an Atlanta railyard, rather those of traveling through Tuscany, Sicily or the Italian Alps. A quick glance around confirms those daydreams, and I refuse to look to the front door, for fear the bubble will burst.

Using the freshest of seafood and organic beef, the chef ensnares me with the aromas of an Italian kitchen with roots that are generations deep. The dining room, dark and romantic with lighting in just the right places, uses the gutted out historic building to enhance the mood.

The wait staff quickly moves throughout the room, relatively unnoticed. My food arrives and my expectations are justified. I have ordered Spaghetti Bolognese, a favorite. My wife has ordered Lasagna. Both meals are outstanding. They are the basic, simple Italian meals, but in spite of that, Mike and his team have transported us away from our basic, ordinary life to one of romance and fine dining.

Needless to say, I will return.

Prezzano's Pizzeria

Downtown Acworth has a lot to offer, food-wise. There are a wide variety of choices, where once there were but a few.

Just as you enter Acworth on Main Street, coming out of Kennesaw, you will come upon Kennworth Park, and immediately across from the park sits Main Street Station, where you find Prezzano's Pizzeria Italian Restaurant.

My daughter is a student at North Cobb High School, and we passed the new shopping center almost every day. Soon, the pizzeria sign went up. Beth and I decided that at first opportunity, we were going to give this new place a try. We had quite a wait, but we finally got our chance just a few weeks ago.

Originally opened as Paisano's, the name Prezzano's seems more fitting, as Dallas Prezzano is the owner and Italian food chef. Jerry, from Jersey, and Brian from Chicago, join Dallas as chefs in this well rounded crew. Forty five years of experience from three of the greatest places to get a pizza are represented at the oven of Prezzano's.

On my visit, I ordered the Prezzano's Favorito pizza (pepperoni, Italian sausage, roasted peppers and onions). A medium was plenty for Beth and me, and not a bad deal at $14.50. The toppings were plentiful and tasty, but in my opinion, the sauce makes the pie. They use all fresh ingredients, make their own dough, and hand mill the tomatoes to make a wonderfully consistent sauce.
The high booths made a small dining room seem less crowded and more intimate on a busy Friday night. The service was very good. We never felt rushed, and my glass did not go empty. We will return, although my daughter says I have to let her order pasta, and my wife says not without her!